Financial support for 2011 entry
The School recognises that the cost of living in London may be higher than in your home town or country. Government support, in the form of loans and grants, is available to UK and some EU students, while LSE provides generous financial support, in the form of bursaries and scholarships to UK, EU and overseas students.
Detailed information about the support available from the UK government and from LSE is available here|. A summmary of the information for 2011 entry is below.
Government support
for students from England
Student loan for maintenance
The student loan for maintenance helps students pay living costs during term times and holidays. The maximum loan available for students studying in London and living away from their parents' home is currently £6,928. The Government publishes new information| as it becomes available.
Maintenance grants
The means-tested maintenance grant (currently worth up to £2,906) also helps students with living expenses during their time at university. The amount a student is eligible to receive is assessed by Student Finance England. The grant does not have to be repaid.
The above information on government support applies to students who live in England. Further information can be found at the following website: www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance|
Special Support Grant
The special support grant replaces the maintenance grant for some students who during the course of the academic year, meet the conditions for being a 'prescribed person' under the income support or housing benefit regulations. Students who are likely to qualify include:
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Single parents
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Other student parents if they have a partner who is also a student
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Students with certain disabilities
Other students may be eligible for the Special Support Grant. You don't necessarily have to receive or even have applied for Income Support or Housing Benefit. Please see www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance| for more information.
for students from elsewhere in the UK
Different financial support packages are available for students from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Students from these countries should refer to one of the following websites:
Student Finance Wales
www.studentfinancewales.co.uk|
Student Awards Agency Scotland
www.saas.gov.uk|
Student Finance Northern Ireland
www.studentfinanceni.co.uk|
for EU students
Students from the EU are not usually eligible for UK Government financial support. However, EU nationals (or children of EU nationals) who have lived in the UK or islands for three years before the start of their course (ie, since 1 September 2008 for a course starting on 1 September 2011) may now qualify for a student loan and grants. Please see www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance| for more information.
for overseas students
Students from outside the EU are not eligible to apply for UK Government funds. However, there is a range of funding available for overseas students from external agencies, bodies or your home government, details of which are available from your home government or nearest British Council office (www.britishcouncil.org/learning|), or UKCISA (www.ukcisa.org.uk|).
LSE financial support
for UK students
LSE Bursary
The LSE Bursary is available for students from low-income backgrounds (from England and Wales) and is worth up to £7,500 over a three-year programme. The value of the LSE Bursary is linked to students' (or their family's) income levels, which will be assessed when calculating the maintenance grant. The maximum LSE Bursary of £2,500 per year is awarded to those students with the lowest residual income. These Bursaries do not have to be repaid.
LSE Discretionary Bursary
The LSE Discretionary Bursary is available for new LSE students (from the UK and the EU) who face exceptional financial needs, including, for example, caring responsibilities, financial need related to disability or an unavoidable requirement to live at home. The value of the award may vary according to need. These Bursaries do not have to be repaid.
For more information about the LSE Bursary and the LSE Discretionary Bursary, please see www.lse.ac.uk/financialSupport|.
LSE Scholarships
Each year LSE awards a number of scholarships - funded by private or corporate donation - to UK applicants to the School. The number, value, eligibility criteria and type of awards vary from year to year. Awards are made on the basis of financial need and academic merit. For more details about these scholarships, and information on how to apply, please see www.lse.ac.uk/financialSupport|.
Stelios scholarships
Four Stelios scholarships, currently worth £5,444 per year, are available for UK students applying for business subjects at LSE. For a full list of business-related programmes and information on how to apply, please see www.lse.ac.uk/financialSupport|.
Access to Learning funds
Registered UK students from low-income households can apply directly to LSE for Access to Learning funds. These funds are designed for students who may need extra financial support for their course, and are provided by the Government to assist with living expenses.
for EU students
LSE Discretionary Bursary
The LSE discretionary bursary is available to EU students. For information about this bursary and how to apply, please see the section on LSE financial support for UK students.
LSE scholarships
LSE offers a number of undergraduate scholarships of varying amounts each year to EU students.
Stelios scholarships
Six Stelios scholarships, currently worth £5,444 per year, are available for EU students applying for business subjects at LSE. For a full list of business-related programmes and information on how to apply, please see www.lse.ac.uk/financialSupport|.
for overseas students
LSE undergraduate support scheme
The LSE undergraduate support scheme (USS) is designed to help overseas students who do not have the necessary funds to meet all their costs of study. In 2008, the School disbursed nearly £1 million in entrance awards available to self-financing students of all nationalities. This financial aid is available only for study at LSE. If you are made an offer of admission, we will advise you on how to apply to the USS online. This system is able to provide an immediate indication of an applicant's eligibility for assistance. In the first instance, you will be assessed on the basis of your financial circumstances. Awards are renewable for each year of your course. Applications will be considered between the end of February and the middle of August.
LSE scholarships
The School offers a limited number of undergraduate scholarships of varying amounts each year for overseas students.
For details of all the latest scholarships and information on how to apply please see www.lse.ac.uk/financialSupport|.
